Deaths of students: Street protests lurch into fourth day

Students of different schools and colleges, angered by the deaths of two fellows, have poured into Dhaka streets for the fourth straight day.

At 10am on Wednesday, a group of students from different educational institutions started to gather in Uttra House Building intersection, South Jatrabari, Shanir Akhra and Farmgate areas.

“Students of different school and colleges started to protest at 10am on the streets. As a result, traffic stalled. The senior officials of the police are trying to convince them,” Sub-Inspector Manik Mahmud of Uttara East Police Station told bdnews24.com.

Protests created a six-kilometre traffic tailback stretching from the House Building to the Radisson Hotel. As a result, traffic on Airport Road, one of busiest roads, came to a halt, bringing sufferings to commuters. But police failed to take protesters off the road.

Students of Dania College took position on a key road through Jatrabari’s Shanir Akhra to join the widespread protests.

“A group of students blocked a large part of the road disrupting traffic in and out of Dhaka,” said Faisal Mahmud, an assistant commissioner of police.

Students from Tejgaon College and Government Science College took to the streets at around 10am to continue their protests.

Initially, they did not block the roads but stopped vehicles to check drivers’ licences which caused severe traffic congestion on the major thoroughfare. Later, police directed all Farmgate-bound vehicles towards the parliament building from the Bijoy Sarani intersection.

“Vehicles can’t move if students stage their protest on the roads,” said Md Masud, sub-inspector of Tejgaon Police Station.

“However, an hour later, the agitated students withdrew themselves from the road. Then, the traffic was back to normal,” he said.

A bus operated by Jabale Noor ploughed into a group of college students waiting for transport on Airport Road, killing two on the spot and injuring several others on Jul 29.

Students have made a nine-point demand, including capital punishment to reckless drivers.

A Facebook group that identifies itself as the Private University Student Alliance urged all the students of the city’s educational institutions to join the protests. This alliance was formed three years ago during a student movement for the cancellation of VAT on private universities.

In a post on Tuesday night, students were asked to make 'peaceful protests' in front of their respective schools, colleges and universities at 10am on Wednesday.

As protests continued into midday, students of Notre Dame College and Ideal School and College flocked to the commercial district of Motijheel, halting traffic in the area.

Besides, students from Kabi Nazrul College, Suhrawardy College and Cambrian College paraded through the Science Laboratory intersection to the Aziz Super Market. Later, they demonstrated in Shahbagh in the face of police’s obstruction, said Police Inspector Abul Bashar.

At Shanir Akhra, protesters have vandalised nearly 30 vehicles and there was hardly any bus driving through Jatrabari flyover. A local Jubo League leader roughed up protesters in front of the police in the area, said one of the protesters.

“Traffic was very thin,” said Md Nasir, in-charge of Jatrabari Mayor Hanif Flyover’s Kutubakhali Toll Plaza.

Dhaka College students have also blocked the road from 11am, stopping traffic in the area. No buses were seen on the road from Home Economics College to Azimpur Girls School and College.

Students of other educational institutions, including Dhaka Ideal School and College, and BAF Shaheen College, blocked the road near Rampura Bridge.

“The government should accept the demands of the students, so that our children can return home safely, " Nurjahan, a guardian of a student of the Dhaka Ideal School and College, told bdnews24.com,

“We’re worried about the deaths of our children on the roads. We had sleepless nights,” said Ramiza Akhter, another guardian.

Meanwhile, students of different educational institutes of Chattogram have also joined the protests. Students of BAF Shaheen School and College, Dewan Hat City Corporation College, Bepza College, Hazi Muhammad Mohsin College and Govt City College have marched from the Kazir Deuri intersection to the Press Club in the port city. They chanted slogans against Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan.